New Releases for July 24, 2015

July 21, 2015

CDs + Vinyl:

The Acorn – Vieux Loup CD/LP (Paper Bag)
In the wake of a five-year hiatus, Vieux Loup marks the beginning of a new creative cycle for Ottawa-based musician Rolf Klausener and his project The Acorn. Following the critical acclaim of their Polaris-nominated concept album Glory Hope Mountain and the cottage psych-folk of 2010’s No Ghost, The Acorn stepped away from public performances. Vieux Loup is an album steeped in years of reflection: eight faintly narrative parables examining broken systems big and small, the fray of the external world, and the return to self. Knee-deep in musky rhythms, the album blends “valley soul” with experimental disco, analog noise and languid improvisations.

Anberlin – Cities: Live In New York City CD (Tooth & Nail)
A live version of Anberlin’s third record Cities recorded at The Gramercy Theatre, NYC.

Arklight – Eternal Life In New York City CD (Phase!)
Outsider songwriting through stripped playability on the verge of ’90s-era 4AD melancholy and Shadow Ring’s isolated ghost reverb. The mature epitome of decaying urban loneliness.

Athiest – Unquestionable Presence [Reissue/1991] CD (Season Of Mist)
CD reissue of the second album by the death metal band.

Awaken The Empire – Aurora CD (Another Record Co.)
Seattle-based band Awaken The Empire fuse atmospheric alt-rock with the raw, heavy emotion of a therapy session.

Bardo Pond – Record Store Day Trilogy 3xCD (Fire)
Brings together their three exclusive RSD EPs from the last three years in one, three-CD package. Each disc is housed in a mini replica of its original vinyl release which are contained w/in a newly designed outer slipcase.

Tim Bowness – Stupid Things That Mean The World CD/LP (Inside Out U.S.)
Tim Bowness is best known as the vocalist and lyricist behind the duo No-Man (the other half of which is Porcupine Tree’s Steven Wilson). For Stupid ThingsThat Mean The World, Bowness is joined by a host of players, most centrally the members of the No-Man live band from recent years (Stephen Bennett, Michael Bearpark and Andrew Booker), Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree), Bruce Soord (The Pineapple Thief), and Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson).

The Bunny The Bear – A Liar Wrote This CD (Victory)
Sixth album from the Buffalo, New York post-hardcore group.

Capone-N-Noreaga – Lessons CD (Penalty Ent. LLC)
With features ranging from The Lox, Raekwon, Sadat X, Large Professor and Royal Flush, this is a New York street classic album.

Cathedral – In Memoriam [Reissue/1999] CD/LP (Rise Above)
“When doom stalwarts Cathedral threw in the towel back in 2013, they left behind a legacy of crunching tunes and hard rocking grooves. It had been 24 years since their formation, and their morbid tales originated with a self-published tape bearing the title In Memorium. This four-track demo featured the vocal talents of ex-Napalm Death frontman Lee Dorrian, as well as Acid Reign’s Gaz Jennings on guitars, both of whom would helm Cathedral until its final breath. In 1999 the debut was repackaged as In Memoriam, on Dorrian’s own Rise Above Records, adding five live cuts from the band’s early days. With Cathedral now a thing of the past, this 25th-anniversary reissue is fitting both in name and content, providing another gaze towards where it all began” – The Metal Observer

C-Bo – The Mobfather 2 CD (RBC)
This sequel to his The Mobfather album continues to weave C-Bo’s tale of the streets, with features from Tech N9ne, E-40, MC Eiht, Ampichino, Killa Tay, T-Nutty and many more.

Kasey Chambers – Bittersweet CD (Sugar Hill)
Pulling together a superb studio band to record the album, Bittersweet features Bernard Fanning on acoustic guitar, keyboard, piano, background vocals and lead vocals on the title track; Ashleigh Dallas on banjo, fiddle, mandolin and background vocals; Dan Kelly on electric and acoustic guitar and background vocals; Matthew Engelbrecht on bass and flugal horn and Declan Kelly on drums, percussion and vibes, Bill Chambers contributes background vocals. Sticking to her trademark no-nonsense live recording style, Kasey and the band recorded the album in just seven days in April this year.

Larry Coryell – Aurora Coryellis 3xCD (Cleopatra)
One of the most respected and celebrated jazz fusion guitarists of his generation, Larry Coryell presents this set of unreleased live performances. Includes some of Coryell’s best work as both a solo performer and with a full band as well as with his talented trio featuring award winning drummer Paul Wertico and bassist Jeff Chambers.

Counterparts – Tragedy Will Find Us CD (Pure Noise)
Counterparts are a Canadian melodic hardcore band. Vinyl version due August 7.

Creeping Pink – Mirror Woods CD (Castle Face)
New album from the bedroom singer/songwriter and producer. The self-proclaimed “tape glam” artist mixes components of electronica and lo-fi indie rock to create music that’s both jarring and hypnotizing. As for the album? A fog of memories caught in the sun-flakes settling in the forest, a beautiful album indeed. Many glittering gems are woven into these tunes but one listen is not enough to hear them all. Like trying to appreciate the silver strobing of ocean waves, they are different every time you glance at them. Better to watch their reflections on the ceiling and just soak it up. Think United States of America meets Vangelis meets July meets Silver Apples in Arthur Russell’s New York apartment. Vinyl version due July 31.

Albert Cummings – Someone Like You CD (Blind Pig)
Master builder turned master guitarist, Albert has become a favorite of fans who love soulful, explosive rocking blues. Double Trouble, the late Stevie Ray Vaughan’s rhythm section, was so impressed with Albert’s talent that they volunteered to play on and produce his debut recording in 2003. Since then he’s established a reputation as a rare talent renowned for his uniquely muscular yet polished guitar wizardry. Billboard said his “guitar work is sizzling.” Guitar One exclaimed, “He attacks his axe with unbridled ferocity and deep soulfulness.”

Seven Davis Jr. – Universes CD/LP+MP3 (Ninja Tune)
As an intergalactic soul record Universes delivers on all fronts. First single “Wild Hearts” lay down the blueprint for the album with echoes of Prince, Theo Parrish and P-Funk and the full-length effort doesn’t disappoint. Whilst inhabiting a space very much its own, Universes could sit comfortably alongside recent releases from Kendrick Lamar and D’Angelo — all three seek to explore their take on twisted funk and classic soul. Kendrick channeled these influences through hip-hop, D’Angelo through neo-soul, whereas Seven takes house and disco as his palette.

Death Angel – The Bay Calls For Blood/A Thrashumentary CD+DVD (Nuclear Blast)
San Francisco Bay Area thrash veterans Death Angel release their documentary A Thrashumentary, which was directed, shot and edited by Tommy Jones (Kataklysm, Soilwork, Lamb Of God, Carcass, Testament) of Videohammer Studios, and paired with a full live album The Bay Calls For Blood.

Deathrite – Revelation Of Chaos CD/Cassette (Prosthetic)
This German metal band hits the sweet spot where only the most severe elements of death metal, grindcore and punk converge. Vinyl version due August 14.

Lea Delaria – House Of David CD (Ghostlight)
New album by the actress and vocalist best known as Carrie ‘Big Boo’ Black in the hit Netflix series Orange Is The New Black. The first major jazz reworking on Bowie’s beloved catalog, the album features tracks such as a smooth bossa nova interpretation of “Golden Years,” a trenchant “Life On Mars?” and a roof-raising gospel take on “Modern Love.” Delaria boasts a multi-faceted career as a comedian, actress and jazz musician; she holds the distinction of being the first openly gay comic on television in.

Destruktor – Opprobrium CD/LP (Hells Headbangers)
Second album from the Australian black/death maniacs.

Doobie Brothers – The Warner Bros. Years 10xCD (Rhino)
Includes: The Doobie Brothers (1971), Toulouse Street (1972), The Captain And Me (1973), What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits (1974), Stampede (1975), Takin’ It To The Streets (1976), Livin’ On The Fault Line (1977), Minute By Minute (1978), One Step Closer (1980), and Farwell Tour (1983).

Ducktails – St. Catherine CD/LP+MP3 (Domino)
The latest album by the solo project of Real Estate’s Matt Mondanile is filled with his baroque pop flourishes and layered with his soothing, but sharp vocals. Recorded in Los Angeles and Berlin and mixed by Rob Schnapf (Elliott Smith, Beck, FIDLAR), St. Catherine is a complex, moody work filled with yearning and lots of the gorgeous melodic fretwork for which Mondanile has become well known for with his work in Real Estate.

Eleventh Dream Day – Works For Tomorrow CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
On Works For Tomorrow Jim Elkington (Tweedy, Steve Gunn) joins Rick Rizzo, Janet Bean (Freakwater), Mark Greenberg (The Coctails), and Doug McCombs (Tortoise, Brokeback, Pullman). This is the first time since 1994 that Eleventh Dream Day has recorded with a second guitarist. The album was recorded and mixed at Wilco’s renowned Loft Studio and Mayfair Recordings.

The Ex – The Ex At The Bimhuis (1991-2015) 2xCD (Ex Records)
A compilation of the highlights from almost 25 years of The Ex live history at the Bimhuis, Amsterdam; one of the world’s leading jazz clubs. Some twelve exciting concerts and festivals with dozens of amazing guests from all over the planet.

The Famous Hokum Boys (Georgia Tom Dorsey/Big Bill Broonzy) – The Famous Hokum Boys 2xCD (JSP)
‘Hokum’ was a raucous, rowdy music that nevertheless demanded good musicianship. All these sides were cut in 1930 — a testament to the popularity of Big Bill and Georgia Tom, both as single artists and as the Famous Hokum Boys. 52 sides.

Foreign Tongues – Fragile, As Said Before CD/LP (No Sleep)
Debut full-length from the New England indie rock band, recorded at Getaway Recording’s studio in Boston with Defeater guitarist and producer Jay Maas, whose credits include Polar Bear Club, Title Fight and Bane.

Mitch Forman Trio – Puzzle CD (Varese Sarabande)
Over the course of his three-and-a-half-decade career, pianist Mitchel Forman has performed alongside such jazz giants as Stan Getz, Bill Evans, John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny and Wayne Shorter. He’s recorded more than a dozen albums as a leader, appeared on dozens more as a sideman, and performed in some of the world’s greatest venues, among them the Newport Jazz Festival. But Puzzle, his new release with bassist Kevin Axt and drummer Steve Hass, may just be Mitchel Forman’s crowning achievement, an intimate display that balances dazzling technique with a wide range of textures, emotions and moods.

Ghostwriters – GWz All The Way CD (Tru Thoughts)GWz All The Way is the debut album from the future dancehall duo Ghost Writerz. The long-player showcases the range, the invention, the heart and the fire in this talented pair’s unique mix of hip-hop, jungle, reggae and dub. Pioneers of the UK’s very own Sound System Music, GWz create soaring bass music infused with conscious lyricism, melodic hooks and virtuoso live instrumentation.

Giacomo Gates – Everything Is Cool CD (Savant)
Giacomo Gates approaches jazz singing with a showman’s poise and an aficionado’s zeal. With his deep, cognac baritone and his vintage-hipster lexicon, his phrasing and his bearing, he upholds a distinctly masculine ideal of deceptively easy nonchalance. Gates is known as the modern day heir to Eddie Jefferson, the godfather of vocalese. Here he uses the style sparingly, but to great advantage. never showboating by using the challenging technique.

Grave Babies – Holographic Violence CD/LP+MP3 (Hardly Art)Holographic Violence is Grave Babies’ second Hardly Art full-length after Crusher (2013), and further explores the themes of nihilism, the pending doom of mankind, and shaming humanity, which the band has been building their gloomy reputation on since the beginning. This time however, instead of recording everything in his basement, Wahlfeldt enlisted the help of Bryce Brown (Crypts) on bass and Mark Gajadhar (Blood Brothers, Past Lives) on drums in the early stages of recording. The songs on Holographic Violence fell into place in Mark’s studio on Orcas Island, Washington. Mixing was handled by Matt Bayles (Alice In Chains, Mastodon), with final mastering by Chris Common (Chelsea Wolfe, Mars Volta). As a final touch, Claire Haranda was added to the lineup on keyboards and synth to round out the band’s live sets. By leaving the edgy, lo-fi haze of earlier output in the past, these songs have clarified what the music of Grave Babies has to offer the future.

Grimm Grimm – Hazy Eyes Maybe CD/LP (ATP)
London-based musician, Koichi Yamanoha — a former frontman of cult psychedelic-punk group Screaming Tea Party, has branched out on his own under the moniker of Grimm Grimm. Yamanoha’s new project is a platform for him to explore new realms of sounds, in his honest and sometimes innocent style, which mixes otherworldly baroque pop and psychedelic folk.

Groove Armada – Little Black Book 2xCD (Republic Of Music)
Moda Black’s Little Black Book series was inspired by the desire for a new, more diverse, more personal platform for artists to express themselves. An album, remix album, compilation, mix series, autobiography and photo-book all rolled into one — a chance for artists to reveal a wealth of new material, whilst also dipping into their back-catalogue and allowing it to be re-imagined by new artists. The Little Black Book gets inside the artists’ minds and looks to the future and what’s to come. For the second edition of Little Black Book, the reigns have been handed to the prolific and much loved Groove Armada. Disc One includes seven new original pieces of music as part of a 77-minute journey that also includes Tony Allen, Candi Staton, re-edits of a host of GA classics and their rework of Arthur Baker anthem, Rockers Revenge. The second disc then sees 12 producers redefine classic Groove Armada records.

Gus G. – Brand New Revolution CD (Dismanic Distribution)
Gus G., The Ozzy Osbourne and Firewind guitar hero, returns with his second solo offering. Fans of Slash, Halestorm and Avenged Sevenfold will love this. Vinyl version due August 7.

Warren Haynes featuring Railroad Earth – Ashes & Dust CD/2xCD (Concord)Ashes & Dust is a masterful work of art and a particularly important statement for the Grammy Award winning artist Warren Haynes. The songs are immediately and clearly different from his usual style — encompassing beautiful acoustic arrangements, a rootsy/Americana soundscape and honeyed vocals that cut straight through to the soul. Knowing that he wanted to pursue a more folk-based approach on this project, he brought in the New Jersey-based Americana band Railroad Earth as collaborators. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a disc containing four demo tracks and one live cut. Vinyl version due August 14.

Amy Helm – Didn’t It Rain CD (E1)
Although the personally charged, organically soulful Didn’t It Rain is her first release under her own name, Amy Helm has been making music for most of her life. She’s already won widespread praise as a singer/songwriter and live performer, first as a member of alt-country collective Ollabelle and subsequently for her extensive work with her father, Levon Helm. Blessed with a commanding, deeply expressive voice and an uncanny songwriting skill that instinctively draws upon a deep well of American musical traditions, Amy Helm delivers a timelessly powerful statement with Didn’t It Rain. The spellbinding dozen-song set is rooted in first-person experience, exploring universal themes of life, love and loss on such musically and emotionally resonant originals as the smoldering soul ballad “Rescue Me,” the hushed, lilting “Deep Water,” the meditative “Roll Away” and the stark, haunting “Wild Girl.” Complementing Helm’s originals are her personalized takes on the Sam Cooke classic “Good News” and the traditional title track, which she delivers with the heartfelt gospel urgency that’s always been an element of her vocal persona.

Bret Higgins – Atlas Revolt CD (Tzadik)
A fabulous release by this Canadian instrumental band that blends Latin, R&B, soul, film soundtracks, jazz and more into moody and infectious grooves. Bret Higgins is no stranger to Tzadik, performing on the 2014 release Zebrina and performing with Tzadik regulars like Frank London, David Buchbinder, Ben Goldberg and many others. A new take on The Meters and Booker T, this is small unit instrumental music that you will return to again and again.

Indesinence – III CD (Profound Lore)
“London death-doom troupe Indesinence understand the power of a darkly menacing crawl. They don’t move in any particular hurry, instead allowing each track to unfold in such a way as to highlight every shift and transformation. And that’s a good thing—theirs is an intricately detailed and brilliantly layered form of doom metal needs that space so it can breathe, and so no minor detail is lost in the expanse of their 15-minute monoliths. But Indesinence also isn’t stuck at one speed, either. More impressive than their own take on dark and funereal doom—which in lesser hands has often turned out woefully boring—is their versatility. On III, the band’s third album in 10 years and second for Profound Lore (their recording pace isn’t all that brisk either), Indesinence showcase not only doom’s power at its peak, or how strong their songwriting is, but rather what small miracles are sometimes born from coloring outside the lines. [Album single] ‘Sugar Coated’ is the first psychedelic weirdo-pop single; it’s all about moving forward, which is exactly what Jones does here” – Treblezine.com

I Prevail – Heart Vs. Mind CD (Fearless)
This Detroit pop/punk band offer a potent mixture of aggressive rock, electrical arrangements, and seamless melodic elements. Vinyl version due August 28.

Iron Chic – Not Like This CD/LP (Dead Broke)
Debut full-length from the Long Island natives. Anthemic and melodic punk rock from a line-up that features members of Latterman, Small Arms Dealer, Capital, Get Bent and Jonesin’.

Jessie Jones – Jessie Jones CD/Cassette (Burger)
“Jessie Jones was once the frontwoman of the Burger Records-backed band Feeding People, who put out their debut on the So-Cal mainstay label in 2011 before signing to Innovative Leisure and releasing their final effort, Island Universe, in 2013. Jones has an intriguing, almost cinema-ready backstory: Supposedly raised a devout evangelical Christian, her love of music eventually superseded her relationship with religion. Or so the legend goes, according to a David Bevan-penned Spin review of Feeding People’s last album. Jones hasn’t been anywhere remotely near the spotlight since, but last year she began working on a new project and started singing in Death Valley Girls” – Stereogum. Vinyl version due August 21.

Joy Division – Substance [Reissue/1988] CD/2xLP (Rhino)
Reissue of this 1988 collection by the Manchester post-punk icons. Substance was a singles compilation album and was the companion to a similar singles compilation by their subsequent band New Order, also entitled Substance.

Kelly Keeling – Mind Radio CD (Frontiers)
From his days with ’80s hard rockers Baton Rouge to writing, singing and performing with guitarists Michael Schenker and Yngwie Malmsteen to later becoming a vocalist for Trans-Siberian Orchestra, if ever there was a rock vocalist that has gone through many incarnations and evolutions, it is Kelly Keeling.

King Jammy – Roots, Reality And Sleng Teng 2xCD+DVD (VP)
A definitive collection of classic hits from the incomparable Lloyd King Jammy James. One of Jamaica’s most prolific producers, Jammy has scored many genre-defining hits and this collection presents them in fine style. This set chronicles Jammy’s productions through the various styles and eras of reggae including his ground-breaking hits Under Me Sleng Teng.

The Knack – Live From The Rock N Roll Funhouse [Reissue/2002] CD (Omnivore)Live From The Rock N Roll Fun House offers fans everything they love about The Knack: stellar songs and a rocking performance. This would be the last album released by the group before the passing of Doug Fieger. Includes two bonus tracks.

Krept & Konan – The Long Way Home CD (Def Jam)
Major label debut from the UK rap duo — a guest-heavy affair that brings together talent from the UK and US. American heavyweights including YG, Wiz Khalifa, Rick Ross and Jeremih are all featured, alongside British veterans such as Skepta and Emeli Sande. “UK hip-hop duo Krept And Konan came to attention releasing covers of big American rap hits on YouTube. Their major-label debut album, The Long Way Home, puts them on a level footing with their US counterparts – and they rise to the challenge in style.” – The Guardian

Kronos – Arisen New Era CD (Unique Leader)
New album from the French brutal death metallers. Vinyl version due August 14.

Lamb Of God – VII: Sturm Und Drang CD/2xLP (Epic)
New album from the groove metal band, their first in six years. It is the first album after the Randy Blythe manslaughter case and a brief hiatus after finishing the Resolution touring cycle. Randy Blythe stated that people shouldn’t expect a prison record, instead he will “write about things that affect me very deeply,” which are going to prison in a foreign country and being charged with manslaughter, as stated by Blythe. The album’s subtitle, literally translated as “Storm and Stress,” indirectly refers to Blythe’s experience. Blythe says he and Mark Morton were talking about how the record’s theme relates to the psychology of humans reacting under extreme conditions, and they wanted a word that reflected such situations.CD is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds two bonus tracks.

Lebron – New Era CD (Trippin ‘N’ Rhythm)
In a genre that is ruled by and heavy on saxophone, it’s increasingly more and more difficult to have a unique voice and stand out in the sea of sax players all seeking space and time. Lebron has created that unique voice with a sound that finds hard comparison to those around him.

Mike LeDonne – Awwlright! CD (Savant)
Mike LeDonne has appeared on over 100 CDs as a sideman with so many jazz giants it is hard to keep count: Art Farmer, Clifford Jordan, Dizzy Gillespie, Stanley Turrentine, Milt Jackson, Christian McBride and others. LeDonne made his first recording as a leader on the B-3 for Savant in 2003 and has since added seven additional records to his discography on the label. To his regular band, The Groover Quartet (Eric Alexander, Peter Bernstein and Joe Farnsworth) Mike has added guests Jeremy Pelt on trumpet and the venerable bassist, Bob Cranshaw. With such an illustrious line-up there are few jazz combos that burn hotter, swing harder or generate more excitement than this all-star aggregation.

Ramsey Lewis – Taking Another Look CD (Ramsey’s House)
On his 80th album, Lewis rekindles his 1974 career-defining album Sun Goddess through a collection of re-recorded tracks from the original disc perfectly balanced with five new tunes.

Little Dragon – Best Of CD (Peacefrog)
This best-of album from the electro pop trio combines the fourteen best songs from the three albums Little Dragon (2007), Machine Dreams (2009) and Ritual Union (2011).

Living Grateful – Peace Mob CD/LP (Punctum Music)
Ryan Sambol began his career in Texas at an early age with a group called The Strange Boys, who, over three albums in five years, enjoyed moderate success and cut their teeth over two continents. With a chance to take a break, Ryan wrote and recorded his first solo full-length, Now Ritual, in 2011 and 2012 in New York and San Francisco. He then reemerged in the summer of 2013 with the group Living Grateful to record the album Peace Mob in Jim Eno’s Austin studio. The 12-track set recalls the sound and reflection of The Band and Bob Dylan while eschewing nostalgia — music that feels classic yet unburdened.

Lone – Lemurian [Reissue/2008] CD/LP (R&S)
“It’s easy to imagine that Lemurian was always destined for reissue treatment, if only because it was such a nostalgic undertaking from the get-go. The longing for a lost musical utopia is woven into its very fibers. Lone’s debut outing, 2007’s Everything Is Changing Colour CDR, was already an attempt to recreate the sound and style that Boards Of Canada pioneered a decade prior, from the blurry family photo on the cover to track titles that hinted at synaesthesia, numerology, and other cornerstones of the Scottish duo’s aesthetic. The music, meanwhile, brimmed with pitch-bent synths, woozy easy-listening samples, and shuffling hip-hop beats. But it was with Lemurian that Lone really immersed himself in his idols’ tape-warping acid bath.” – Pitchfork

L’Orange & Kool Keith – Time? Astonishing! CD (Mello Music)
L’Orange & Kool Keith set out to make something absurd, yet traditional, putting the Ultramagnetic MC in a position to rap over beats that fans have wanted to hear him on for years. Joining the team is a cast of legendary rappers to create a diversity of talent. The album is a loose tale of a time traveler, moving only forward through time, settling in the future and living as he would normally. Time? Astonishing! seems to imply that adventure is only a step away, but never seems to reach that point. It’s an abstract and absurdist approach to working with an absurdist MC. Vinyl version due August 14.

Madchild – Silver Tongue Devil CD (Battle Axe)
New album from Madchild, member of hip-hop mainstays Swollen Members. Featured artists include JD Era, CeeKay Jones, Demrick, and Slain; with production by C-Lance, Evidence, The Makerz, Aspect, and Rob the Viking.

Eleni Mandell – Dark Lights Up CD/LP+MP3 (Yep Roc)
It all started with a visit to the Country Music Hall Of Fame, where an innocent afternoon wandering the exhibits and learning about her musical heroes, like Hank Williams, George Jones, Buck Owens, and Tammy Wynette, led acclaimed L.A. singer/songwriter Eleni Mandell on an unexpected journey of profound musical and personal self-discovery culminating in Dark Lights Up, her tenth album. “It was a profound experience for me,” says Mandell. “Seeing all their lyrics and guitars on display made me reflect on just how deeply I’d been influenced by classic country.”

Mas Ysa – Seraph CD/LP+MP3 (Downtown)
“Thomas Arsenault first came to our attention as Mas Ysa back in 2014 with his standout performance at South by Southwest. Since then, anticipation for the electro-pop artist’s debut album has steadily risen…” – Consequence Of Sound

Merzbow – Wildwood CD (Dirter Promotions)
The mighty Merzbow presents four tracks of blistering music recorded and to be played at maximum volume. This leaves the also-rans at the gate and is full of psychedelic twists and turns, with one completely guitar-based track. Incredible stuff from Masami Akita. It’s also a benefit release for the Wildwood Trust in Kent. All proceeds from sales will go to them, toward the care of two rescued European brown bears.

Bea Miller – Not An Apology CD (Hollywood)
Debut full-length album from the singer and actress. Not An Apology is the follow-up to her 2014 EP Young Blood. Bea Miller came in ninth place on season two of The X Factor (US version).

Ashley Monroe – The Blade CD (WB)
Sophomore album by the American country music singer/songwriter. The Blade includes “On To Something Good,” “The Blade” and “I Buried Your Love Alive.”

Northlane – Node CD (Rise)
New album from the Aussie metalcore juggernauts. Vinyl version due August 28.

Nouvelle Vague – Nouvelle Vague [Reissue/2004] CD (Peacefrog)
On their debut, Nouvelle Vague took cherished tracks from the late 1970s and early 1980s by acts such as Joy Division, The Clash, The Cure, Depeche Mode and the Dead Kennedys and reworked them in a gentle bossa nova style. Sung by French female vocalists, some of whom had never heard the originals before, these cult hits had new life breathed into them, and their meanings became softly subverted. In French, Nouvelle Vague means “new wave”, and “bossa nova” in Portuguese. Even the records’ sleeves wittily referenced the artwork for Jean Luc Godard’s early-’60s new-wave films.

Nurse With Wound – Sylvie And Babs [Reissue/1985] 2xCD (Dirter Promotions)
Deluxe reissue of this ’80s classic from Nurse With Wound. Expertly remastered and beautifully packaged in six-panel gloss laminated digipak, with special gloss 12-page booklet with artwork by Babs Santini. Includes a bonus disc of outtakes, previously unreleased material, and remixes from Irr. App. (Ext.) and Andrew Liles.

Old Man Luedecke – Domestic Eccentric CD (True North)
Multiple Juno Award-Winning Old Man Luedecke’s narrative-driven folk songs are playful, coy, and soul warming. Domestic Eccentric was recorded in a cabin he built by hand in the snowy woods around Chester, Nova Scotia and produced by Grammy award winner Tim O Brien.

On An On – And The Wave Has Two Sides CD/LP (Roll Call)And The Wave Has Two Sides has already been met with early attention for the hauntingly suspenseful “Drifting”, the first track released from the album. It is loaded with those deeply cutting emotional moments, and just as often buoyed afloat by the incredible pop instincts that were already maturing on their debut; now delivered fully formed through songs like the summer dance-floor anthem “It’s Not Over.”

Pears – Go To Prison CD (Fat Wreck Chords)
Pears is an up and coming hardcore punk band from New Orleans. Vinyl version due September 11.

Ray Pierle – Time And Money/Rhythm Of The Highway [Reissue/1980/1981] CD (Lion Productions)
In the years close upon the creation of his 1977 masterpiece Into You (as McKay), Ray “McKay” Pierle released two more long-players, Time And Money (1980) and Rhythm Of The Highway (1981). As with Into You, both had press runs of 300 and both met with thunderous indifference. By the time of these albums, the rural, organic feel of the earlier recordings had given way to a harder-edged compositional style, but not without a few quirks emblematic of the era. Time And Money adhered closely to the hard-rockin’ twin-lead quartet sound, while Rhythm Of The Highway added synthetic elements and some ever-so-slight new-wave/power-pop leanings; plenty of bar-band gigs ensured Pierle was always fully-informed of current trends.

Ricked Wicky – King Heavy Metal CD/LP+MP3 (GBV Inc.)
The second album from prolific indie artist Robert Pollard’s self-described “supergroup” (tongue practically piercing his cheek with self-deprecating irony). King Heavy Metal is a hitherto undiscovered species of rainforest songbird capable of changing colors in the ultraviolet and infrared spectrums. At once prog-struck, collagist, technically impressive, and melodically complex, King Heavy Metal lives up to and subverts its title over the course of its 12 songs.

Joe Satriani – Shockwave Supernova CD/2xLP (Sony Legacy)
New album by the veteran rock guitarist. Recently, during the final performance of his two-year Unstoppable Momentum tour, Satriani had an epiphany; he found himself, “playing the guitar with my teeth an awful lot. I thought, ‘Why are you doing this?’ It’s as if something else, or somebody else, was driving me to do it.” Satriani seized upon this moment of self-realization as the springboard and creative center for his alter ego Shockwave Supernova, the outlandish and extroverted ‘performance side’ of the normally shy and reserved guitar virtuoso.

Jill Scott – Woman CD (Atlantic)
The thought provoking titled album is coming off the heels of Jill’s latest singles, “Fool’s Gold” that debuted on May 11th and is currently #7 on Billboard R&B charts and the critically acclaimed, “You Don’t Know.” Executive produced by the vocal powerhouse herself alongside producer extraordinaire Andre Harris (“Long Walk Home” and “Is It The Way”) and Nashville great Aaron Pearce, Jill is describing the sound of this album as “classic Philly soul meets country rhythm served with impeccable and captivating storytelling.”

Sediment Club – Psychosymplastic CD/LP (Wharf Cat)
A very art-first, abrasive record from NYC’s Sediment Club — who have quite the devout following among classic New York no-wave-heads.

Sleaford Mods – Key Markets CD/LP (Harbinger Sound)
“Nottingham duo Sleaford Mods were one of 2014’s least likely success stories, Jason Williamson’s furious stream-of-consciousness abstractions and Andrew Fearn’s primitive beats seemingly at odds with all other prevailing sounds. Any worries that wider approval might have dimmed Williamson’s anger prove to be unfounded: Key Markets finds him railing against politicians – Clegg, Miliband (‘a chirping c*nt’), Boris Johnson – as well as less obvious targets, including early ‘00s garage rockers the Von Bondies and model David Gandy. If it were just witless invective, its appeal would swiftly pall, but beneath the swearing there’s a sharp sense of humur and even sharper powers of observation, Williamson’s freeform wordplay painting vivid pictures of an at times uncomfortably recognizable contemporary Britain.” – The Guardian

Sonic Youth – EVOL [Reissue/1986] CD/LP+MP3 (Goofin’)
The third studio album by Sonic Youth, originally released in May 1986 on SST Records, shows the first signs that the band was ready to transform their no wave past into a greater alternative rock sensibility. EVOL … “mark[s] the true departure point of Sonic Youth’s musical evolution,” says Pitchfork, who place the album in the #31 slot of their Top 100 Albums of The 1980s. “A near-masterpiece.”

Omar Souleyman – Bahdeni Nami CD/2xLP+MP3 (Monkeytown)
Perhaps Syria’s most successful musical export, international singer Omar Souleyman has returned with his second proper studio effort. For the new album Omar opened his doors to collaborations with a number of renowned electronic producers, all of whom were established fans keen to offer unique interpretations of Souleyman’s established sound. Four Tet returns to produce a track, Gilles Peterson lends his considerable talents to one song, Modeselektor turn in the two fastest dance numbers of the set, and Legowelt offers a remix for the title track. Additionally Black Lips’ Cole Alexander treats one of the heart-wounding ballads to a thoroughly distinctive remix that will appear on a 7” in August.

Soundtrack – Absolute Treasures: The Rocky Horror Picture Show CD/LP (Ode Sounds & Visuals)
This expanded reissue of the soundtrack for the 40th anniversary of the 1975 cult musical film includes all songs from the film on CD and vinyl for the first time.

Soundtrack [James Horner] – Southpaw CD (Shady)
Original soundtrack inspired by the motion picture Southpaw. Eminem serves as Executive Producer of the album, which includes two tracks from him: the first single, “Phenomenal,” and “Kings Never Die,” featuring Gwen Stefani. Eminem also appears on two songs from his side project with Royce Da 5’9”, Bad Meets Evil. In addition, the soundtrack includes music from 50 Cent, The Weeknd, Action Bronson and Joey Bada$$, Slaughterhouse and more. In addition, the soundtrack includes two arrangements from the late James Horner, the Academy Award-winning composer (Titanic, Avatar).

Strange Wilds – Subjective Concepts CD (Sub Pop)
Strange Wilds slays with the hellish fury of the Northwest hardcore scene’s best, the heavenly scuzz of a Bleach-era Nirvana, and the purgatorial punishment of Touch & Go post-rock meets Devo’s de-evolution machine. The 11 songs here bleed with the hybrid DNA of Seattle’s past and future, disparate scenes fused together with sneering menace and intelligent fury in equal shares. Some songs plow through the thick fog of sludge and dirge, while others soar and speed along at breakneck pace. The titles are heady; the sensations are primal. Riffs and energy are kings in the world of Strange Wilds. Vinyl version due August 31.

Styx – Live At The Orleans Arena Las Vegas CD (Eagle)Live At The Orleans Arena Las Vegas captures Styx bringing their stunning live show to the world’s entertainment capital, recorded July 25, 2014.

Symphony X – Underworld CD (Nuclear Blast)
“Dubbed the ‘fantasy-based version of Dream Theater,’ an admirable comparison by any standard, Underworld grabs you from the outset. Following an intro laced with chilling, operatic vocals, we are met with the opening track and first single, ‘Nevermore.’ This powerhouse of big guitars by chief songwriter Michael Romeo is countered by the epically delivered vocals of Russell Allen. ‘Nevermore’ has already come as somewhat of a shock to SX die-hards, being seen as power metal as opposed to the neo-classical material they’re used to. But there is far more going on in this opener than straight-up power metal as new, strong songwriting choices take hold. This richness is evident throughout Underworld.” – Metal Wani

Various Artists – Disco 2: A Further Fine Selection Of Independent Disco, Modern Soul And Boogie 1976-80 CD/2xLP+MP3/2xLP+MP3 (Soul Jazz)
Second volume of rare and independent tracks from disco’s halcyon period – 1978 to 1982 – expertly compiled by Disco Patrick, who also compiled the recent deluxe 360-page book. Blurring the musical lines between disco, modern soul and boogie this double album features many exclusive and hard to find records from the era. (Vinyl version spread across two separate double-LP volumes.)

Billy Vera – Big Band Jazz CD (Varese Sarabande)
New album from the veteran blue-eyed soul singer — a big band salute to the great black songwriters of the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s.

Roger Waters – Amused To Death [Reissue/1992] CD/CD+Blu-ray Audio/2xLP (Sony Legacy)
Digitally remastered edition of this 1992 album features remaster completed by longtime Roger Waters/Pink Floyd collaborator and co-producer, James Guthrie. The art has been updated for 2015 by Sean Evans, the creative director of Waters’ 2010-2013 The Wall Live tour and movie. Available in single-disc and CD+Blu-ray Audio editions. Blu-ray Audio contains a new high-definition 5.1 surround remix of the album. Also available: Double picture-disc vinyl LP repress.

Vinyl Williams – Into CD (Company)
Lionel Williams leaves behind the murkier lo-fi production of his 2012 debut full-length, Lemniscate, for the somnambulant pop of Into. The new album—out on Chaz Bundick’s (Toro Y Moi, Les Sins) Company Records—moves Lionel’s Vinyl Williams alias into a more vivid, multi-colored dream world. Unlike the dramatic film scores of his grandfather (famed composer and conductor John Williams), this 25-year-old Los Angeles-based musician’s songs are far more introspective, effortlessly blending ambient, electronic, Krautrock, psychedelia and shoegaze influences into a uniquely visceral listening experience that often mirrors the surrealism of his own collage-based visual artwork.

We Came As Romans – We Came As Romans CD (Equal Vision)
New album from the melodic metalcore band.

John Zorn – Forro Zinho N Forro In The Dark Plays Zorn CD (Tzadik)
One of the most exciting bands to come out of the wild late night Nublu scene in the East Village, Forro In The Dark combines the driving dance rhythms of forro from Northeastern Brazil with rock, jazz, reggae, folk and country. Together since 2002, they are based in New York and have collaborated with a wide variety of artists, including David Byrne, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Cibo Matto. Here they take on some of Zorn’s most lyrical and grooving compositions to create a charming CD of Brazilian-tinged dance music. Endlessly listenable, this is a CD filled with catchy hooks, burning solos, driving rhythms and infectious Zorn melodies, new and old. Produced by Jesse Harris and featuring Brazilian legend Marcos Valle as a special guest.

DVDs + Blu-ray:

The Rolling Stones – From The Vault: Hyde Park Live 1969 DVD/Blu-ray (Eagle Vision)From The Vault is a series of live concerts from The Rolling Stones archive which are getting their first official release. Hyde Park 1969 is the latest addition to the series. It was one of the most highly anticipated gigs of 1969 and it delivered on all the promise and then some. Having taken two years off from the road, the show was conceived as the beginning of the band`s big return to the live stage. It was also planned as an introduction of their hot new guitar player, Mick Taylor.

Tangerine Dream – Phaedra Farewell Tour 2014) DVD (Eastgate)
The London concert of the Phaedra Farewell Tour 2014 at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire was the second concert in a row of a long multi-week tour after starting in Paris. It was the last time for the band performing as a five man/woman band — Iris and Linda still were present. After that tour, TD started the so-called Quantum Years with three concerts in Australia as a four man/woman band with the new member Ulrich Schnauss.

This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:

Action Bronson – Mr. Wonderful LP+CD (Atlantic Urban)
Released earlier this year on CD – now available on vinyl. Mr. Wonderful is a culmination of every ingredient that’s made Action Bronson’s discography delectable. The musicality is grade A; live instrumentation turns the album into a wonderland of sonic discovery. “A Light In The Addict,” featuring Party Supplies and Fools Gold vocalist Black Atlass, and “City Boy Blues,” which boasts the bottom production of 88 Keys and top coating of Party Supplies, both soar with gorgeous orchestration. The latter track in such a zone that Bronson doesn’t spit a single bar, instead letting his vocals ride the wave of soulful rock.

Air – Moon Safari [Reissue/1998] LP (Rhino/Parlophone)
French postmodernists Air raid every aspect of retro pop music, from the sublime to the ridiculous, in fashioning their sonic bricolage. Everything from Krautrock-inspired electronics to 1960s lounge music is incorporated into the work of Nicolas Godin and J.B. Dunckel. Their full-length debut, 1998’s Moon Safari, earned massive critical plaudits and put the duo at the forefront of modern, electronic-oriented pop.

Ólafur Arnalds / Nils Frahm – Stare 12” (Erased Tapes)
Originally released as a limited 10″ for RSD 2012, this long-sold-out must-have for fans of these two artists is now reissued as a 12″. Erased Tapes label-mates Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm recorded and mixed their first collaborative record between Reyjkjavík and Berlin as a surprise release for label founder Robert Raths. The ambient electronic work features long-time collaborator Anne Muller on cello.

Ashtray Navigations – Shimmering Replica LP+CD (VHF)
This first-ever VHF release by the 21-years-running Ashtray Navigations brings one more core piece of the UK freakout underground back to the mothership. With a discography that boggles even the most ardent Discogs user and an on-point WTF graphic sensibility, Ash Nav fits perfectly into the extremely fertile and prolific scene that has produced titans like Sunroof! and Vibracathedral Orchestra. On this generous 100-minute package, Phil Todd and Melanie O’Dubshlaine essay a kind of guitar-and-electronics exotica with burbling rhythms, Heldon-like laser guitar leads, field recordings, synth racket, etc. The totally fun take on Les Baxter’s all-time classic “Quiet Village” (here wittily retitled “Quite Village”) is a good example of the explorer spirit at work. Considering the amount of unhinged psychedelic fuzzwah lead damage laid out across this thing, it’s arguably the most effusive guitar heroics record of the genre, hopefully inspiring a new generation of young rockers out there to get on the bus.

Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires – Sweet Disorder! b/w Stars 7”+MP3 (Sub Pop)
“Sweet Disorder!” is about disrupting systems that have proven to fall short of, if not completely undermine, their purported missions (e.g., criminal justice, mental health, the church, language) for the sake of realigning them with those missions. The song developed out of months spent revisiting the Objectivist poets, binging on early Clash albums, and observing the Atlanta actions surrounding the deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner and other unarmed people of color.

Bell Witch – Demo 2011 LP (The Flenser)
Bell Witch initially made their presence known in the US doom scene with a well-received demo in 2011. At 37 minutes, this recording is a massive statement of purpose and far-eclipsed its “demo” status as implied by the name. Recorded by Brandon Fitzsimons (Wormwood), the same engineer behind Longing, Demo 2011 showcases Bell Witch’s heavy yet minimalist sound now lauded as timeless, relevant and undeniably sorrowful.

Bézier – Telomeres 12” (Dark Entries)
Bézier integrates the refrains of Spanish new wave and Italo disco with the attitude and aggression of underground styles like synth-punk and industrial.

Birth Defects – First 8 Mistakes LP (Ghost Ramp)
“Meet Birth Defects, your new favorite garage rock band. This band is basically the Justice League of garage rock. These dudes have a lot working in their favor—they’ve got Petey Dammit from Thee Oh Sees, former Bleached drummer Jonathan Safley, and have a new album produced by Ty Segall being released on Nathan Williams’ (Wavves) record label, Ghost Ramp.”—Nosiey / Vice

Biters – Electric Blood LP (Earache)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Atlanta’s rock ‘n’ roll tearaways Biters recall the early spirit and danger of rabble-rousing rock heroes, and have faithfully built upon their punk heritage and their love of ‘70s rock to deliver music that ignites, incites and excites in equal measure. An aura of recklessness and intimidation surrounds the Biters mythology. Yet amongst all of the raw riffage, teeth marks and broken glass, the band serves up instant hooks and shout-a-long choruses. This ear for melody has not been lost on others — the likes of Green Day have proclaimed Biters among their favorite new bands.

Black Tower – The Secret Fire LP (No Idea)
Black Tower hails from Ottawa, Canada, but it might as well be Middle Earth. Or at least a Middle Earth as filtered through heavy metal. Tolkien would probably not approve, but generations raised on his books—as well as Iron Maiden and assorted black metal records—will nod their long-haired heads in appreciation. In short, Black Tower is metal that wears its nerd credentials proudly on its sleeve.

Blu & Exile – Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them (Instrumentals) 2xLP (Dirty Science)
The original Give Me My Flowers… (2012) is a cohesive, kicked back collection of hip-hop buoyed by Exile’s soulful, sample-driven beats. Together Blu & Exile have taken the raw materials of rap and crafted charmingly idiosyncratic, album-minded music that transcends coasts and continents alike.

Blundetto – World Of LP (Heavenly Sweetness)
The third album by Blundetto, the man behind French radio station Radio Nova. For World Of, he digs further into his love of soulful reggae, with cinematic Latin and African vibes.

Boan – Mentiras LP+MP3 (Holodeck)
Two thirds of the now defunct electro-trio Medio Mutante, Jose Cota (Ssleeperhold) and Mariana A. Saldaña (ex-//Tense//) continue to deconstruct, sharpen, and enhance their idiosyncratic cold wave tradition. Cota’s vivid analog compositions form a solid foundation for Saldaña’s indelible and predominantly Spanish vocals to sink into, reflecting a unique confluence of Texas’s vibrant electronic music scene with its rich and inextricable history of Hispanic culture. The dark romance of Saldaña’s alluring vocal delivery seamlessly oscillates between the sanguine and the apocalyptic with cold, stoic detachment.

James Brown And The Famous Flames – Tell Me What You’re Gonna Do [Reissue/1961] LP (Rumble)
“Well on his way to becoming soul brother number one, James Brown’s recordings are exhilarative, which can be attributed to his urgent delivery. His up-tempo numbers illuminate the Georgia native’s trademark baritone, while his ballads are impressively as smooth as silk. The two singles to see chart action from this album are ‘Just You And Me, Darling’ and ‘Lost Someone.’ The former has that locomotive rhythm and chanting background vocals complimented by the Godfather’s wailing cry — vintage James Brown.” — AllMusic

Canadian Rifle – Sexually F**ked b/w You Are My Junk 7” (Dirt Cult)
While touring Europe in support of their second LP, Deep Ends, Canadian Rifle found some time to record two new songs somewhere in Germany. This 7″ is the end result. The two songs on this release serve as a nice companion to their most recent LP, as it they are continuations of the themes present on that record. If bleak and misanthropic punk/hardcore is your thing, look no further.

Count Counsellor – & The Childhood Heroes LP (Quality Time Recordings)
Count Counsellor was taken through the emergence and resurgence of UK garage, house, grime, funky and dub step, along with a rigorous education in the classics of disco, funk and soul. However, this sounds nothing like house and garage, or soul and disco. “It’s like having hot chocolate being poured down your ear” — Gary Crowley, BBC Radio London. “One fact that we can let you in on, is that they’re brilliant.” — Huw Stephens, BBC Radio 1

Cradle Of Filth – Hammer Of The Witches LP (Nuclear Blast)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Eleventh album from the English extreme metal band.

Datura4 – Demon Blues LP (Alive)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Hailing from Fremantle in Western Australia, Datura4 is the brainchild of Dom Mariani (frontman of legendary Australian garage rockers The Stems and Power Pop favorites DM3) and Greg Hitchcock (former You Am I and one-time New Christs’ guitarist). In 2011 they joined forces combining a shared passion for full-tilt boogie, psychedelic rock and progressive blues.

Dikembe – Ledge 7” (Dikembe)
A suite of new songs, full of their classic wandering guitars, dramatic builds, and moody crooning.

DJ Rashad – 6613 12” (Hyperdub)
“It’s a safe bet that there are hundreds of EPs’ worth of unreleased material from the late, great DJ Rashad, the beloved figurehead of Chicago’s Teklife crew. Rashad Harden, along with lifelong friend and collaborator DJ Spinn, was at the forefront of footwork’s manifest destiny until his tragic death last year; his last full-length release, 2013’s Double Cup, is often considered the genre’s high watermark. Posthumous four-track EP 6613 is the icon’s first solo Hyperdub release since that album, and it arrives in a year overflowing with stellar footwork releases, as though some higher power attuned to avant garde dance music felt sorry for the world’s loss.” — Pitchfork

Willie Dixon/Memphis Slim – Willie’s Blues [Reissue/1959] LP (Analog Productions)
Since the early 1950s, Willie Dixon has been the studio kingpin of Chicago blues, having written, produced, and played bass on countless classics by Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Otis Rush, Koko Taylor, and many others. Dixon has always managed to find time away from the studio to work as a performer, slapping his upright bass and singing his own tunes in a highly compelling, conversational baritone. He was working the coffeehouse circuit with pianist Memphis Slim when he cut this, his first album as a leader, in 1959. HQ-200gm.

Dolan – Kill The Wolf LP (Strange Famous)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Dark, raw, and confrontational, B. Dolan’s new album Kill The Wolf reinforces his status as a complex lyricist and high-powered rhyme spitter, dedicated to his vision and heedless to trends. Staunchly political and fearlessly personal, ” Kill The Wolf” brings the best techniques from B’s catalog into a new era in terms of scale and production value. Guests include Aesop Rock, Buck 65, and Kathleen Stubelek of Circle Takes The Square, as well as old friends Buddy Peace, Alias, and Cecil Otter (of Doomtree).

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra – The Conny Plank Session LP (Grönland)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Conny Plank had great admiration for Duke Ellington and while he was quite selective with whom he worked with, it was an honor for Conny to have had the chance to do a studio recording with Duke Ellington and his orchestra. The recordings were created in the legendary Rhenus studios in Cologne in 1970.

Envy – Atheist’s Cornea LP (Temporary Residence)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. First new album in five years from legendary Japanese post-hardcore band. Despite its relative brevity (at 43 minutes it is Envy’s shortest album since their early ‘90s thrash days), Atheist’s Cornea is easily the band’s most progressive work. Beginning with a punishing pummel, holes of light are gradually punched open to reveal an uncanny series of dynamic, emotionally charged epics.

The Expanders – Hustling Culture LP (Easy Star)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. A powerful and original set of songs emphasizing three part harmonies, inventive guitar work, vintage keys sound, and a pounding rhythm section. “The Expanders breathe new life into a vintage reggae sound…” – Broadway World

Lee Fields & The Expressions – Standing By Your Side b/w Don’t Walk 7” (Truth & Soul)
Side A is taken from the Emma Jean album. An uptempo, driving number sure to keep dance floors moving thru the summer, DJs will notice the edit done for the 45. An homage to sticking out the hard times of love with someone, Lee is at his best, pouring out his signature voice over a tough yet gorgeous production by Truth & Soul’s own Leon Michels. “Don’t Walk”, previously only available on the Forecast 10”, is a tune from the Emma Jean sessions that didn’t make it to the album.

Mike Fiems – I Would Dream [Reissue/1974] LP (Mapache)
An impressive mixture of sunshine folk pop. A true musical adventure produced by legendary Vernon Wray, an outlaw from the music business who helped to create one of the most beautiful secrets of the seventies. Recorded at The Record Factory in the Arizona Desert in 1974, the album includes songs like “I Would Dream,” “Desert Sands” and “I’m Here,” and shows a great and forgotten songwriter. Originally released on Wray’s own label Vermillion Records in a very limited quantity.

Fox Millions Duo – Lost Time LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
First collaborative album from drummers Greg Fox (Guardian Alien, Liturgy, Zs) and Kid Millions (Man Forever, Oneida) — comprised of two long pieces that represent opposite ends of a musical spectrum, one blasting and one meditative.

Giovanni Fusco – Deserto Rosso [OST/1964] LP (Contempo)
The stunning ultra rare soundtrack composed and orchestrated by Giovanni Fusco or the 1964 movie directed by Michelangelo Antonioni starring Monica Vitti, Richard Harris and Xenia Valderi. Giovanni Fusco has been one of the first soundtrack composers in Italy (he composed his first soundtrack in 1936). The trademark of his music have always been researching new sounds and electronic effects.

Gang Starr – The Ownerz [Reissue/2003] 3xLP (UMe)
Limited triple vinyl LP pressing. Originally released in 2003, The Ownerz is the sixth and final studio album by the hip-hop duo, recorded two years before the duo broke up. The album features guest appearances from Jadakiss, Boy Big, Snoop Dogg, Uncle Reo, NGY’z, H. Stax, Big Shug, Freddie Foxxx, Fat Joe, M.O.P., Smiley The Ghetto Child and Krumbsnatcha. Part of UMe’s Respect The Classics campaign.

Marvin Gaye – Recorded Live On Stage [Reissue/1963] LP (Rumble)
Marvin Gaye Recorded Live On Stage was the first live album released by singer Marvin Gaye on the Tamla label. Recorded during a Motortown Revue show at Chicago’s Regal Theater, the album showcased the musician performing early hits such as “Stubborn Kind Of Fellow,” “Pride And Joy” and “Hitch Hike” while also adding in unreleased numbers including “One Of These Days” (a studio version was released on the B-side of “Pride And Joy” and later as a track on Gaye’s 1966 album, Moods Of Marvin Gaye), “Mo Jo Hanna” and That Stubborn Kinda Fellow album track, “Get My Hands On Some Lovin'” while also singing three covers — the jazz standard, “Days Of Wine And Roses,” blues song “Mo Jo Hanna” and his cover of Ray Charles’ R&B version of “You Are My Sunshine.”

Guapo – Obscure Knowledge LP (Cuneiform)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Guapo started their life as a heavy bass/drums duo playing post-hardcore, noisy rock, but in the two decades since, they have expanded their instrumentation and their stylistic references to become one of Europe’s most highly respected ‘muscular and modern’ experimental/progressive rock bands.

Lightnin’ Hopkins – Blues In My Bottle [Reissue/1961] LP (Fantasy)
The great Lightnin’ Hopkins was one of the most natural of bluesmen—a poet who would often make up lyrics as he recorded. Because his meters and chord changes were frequently irregular, he was at his best when unaccompanied, as on this 1961 Prestige date. Besides such blues standards as “Wine Spodee-O-Dee,” “Blues in the Bottle,” and “Catfish Blues,” the album contains originals, including “Beans, Beans, Beans” about his stint on a railroad track gang and “D-7” about his aversion to flying.

Howling Gruel – Jolly Jape LP (Wormwood Grasshopper)
Two ex-Hammering The Cramps members swapping out moody, seismological guitars for sweeping, flailing, droning keyboards, and their debut bounces along, stumbles and falls on the cleared path, simultaneously aligning it with a loaded lineage and shaking off the shackles. Conversational vocals only hint at a melody, reminiscent of Russell Walker’s work with the Pheromones and the Bomber Jackets. Occasionally a song splits wide open, as on “Just Like Honey, Pt. 2,” the added urgency of the ensemble revealing a whole new vaulted sky under which the band stands alone.

Jenny Hval & Susanna – Meshes Of Voice [2014] 2xLP (Susannasonata)
Two of Norway’s most prominent voices explore the contrasts in a material drifting in and out of both a sparse shimmering, and a loud, violent-sounding landscape.

Joy Division – Still [Reissue/1981] 2xLP (Rhino)
2007 remaster version pressed on HQ-180gm vinyl. Still is a compilation of non-album tracks, outtakes, and the complete performance of the band’s last show.

Albert King – I Wanna Get Funky [Reissue/1974] LP (Fantasy)
In the mid-1970s, at a time when R&B-oriented radio stations had all but banished blues records from their playlists, Albert King continued to penetrate the airways with his up-to-date blues sound, and this album is no exception. The wonderfully funky “That’s What the Blues Are All About” reached No. 15 on Billboard’s Hot Soul Singles chart, becoming King’s biggest hit of the decade.

King Dude – Songs Of Flesh & Blood – In The Key Of Light LP (Not Just Religious Music)
King Dude’s latest full length is not only a spiritual revelation, but also a revelation of the life of the man behind the music. TJ Cowgill’s own recent real life experiences with love, loss, death and violence are illuminated and explored herein, sure to be canonized alongside the rest of his work. “The record mixes driving and distorted anthems like ‘Black Butterfly’ and mescaline-fuelled, castanet-clacking Tex-Mex shufflers like ‘Holy Water’ alongside more ruminative pieces like ‘Deal With The Devil,’ a song that has the baritone croak of the Dude contemplating a Faustian move in the name of love.” – Exclaim

Jessy Lanza/DJ Spinn/Taso – You Never Show Your Love 12” (Hyperdub)
Jessy Lanza meets the Teklife crew on this sultry EP, with DJ Spinn and Taso’s first-released R&B track, and a teklife footwork remix with assistance from the late DJ Rashad.

Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee & Friends – Next Cut! LP (Pressure Sounds)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Next Cut features a plethora of outtakes alternate mixes and slipped down the back of the sofa gems. A fine album that gives you a listen to the studio banter and a small talk that permeated Kingston’s music scene.

Loop – Array 1 LP (ATP)
Towards the end of 2013 saw the reformation of one of the most revered and respected late ‘80s UK alternative bands, Loop. The group, founded by Robert Hampson, hadn’t played together since the early ‘90s but got together to curate a night at the legendary All Tomorrow’s Parties at Camber Sands. US dates followed in 2014 and they then got back in the studio to start recording. The result is three brand new releases coming over the next year which see the band return to their hugely unique and era defining sound whilst sounding fresh and exciting. The first release is Array 1, four tracks of haunting, aggressive, beautiful noise.

Joe McPhee – Solos: The Lost Tapes (1980-1981-1984) LP+MP3 (Roaratorio)
Material from Joe McPhee’s personal archives that shines new light on the legendary multi-instrumentalist’s work from the early 1980s. “Wind Cycles,” for tenor saxophone, explores the permutations of breath on reed and brass, from quiet whispers to full-throated cries and back again. With “The Redwood Rag,” McPhee takes a jaunty melody and gives it a swinging workout with Steve Lacy-like precision. The free-blowing alto excursion “Ice Blu,” is in McPhee’s words, “a sound which evokes an image, which asks a question ‘What is that?’ and the answer is, a sound which evokes an image which asks a question.” “Voices,” one of his signature compositions, gets a particularly haunting treatment here on soprano with the incorporations of mesmerizing electronics. Includes a download coupon for the full album plus a bonus interview, conducted at the New Music America Festival in 1981.

Miss Pussycat – Anthropomorphizer LP+MP3 (Terror Vision)
A collection of live puppet show soundtracks recorded on tour all over the world from Miss Pussycat of Quintron & Miss Pussycat fame. Pressed on birthday cake pink and puppet purple vinyl.

Monophonics – Sound Of Sinning LP (Transistor Sound)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Five-piece funk-infused group Monophonics have been floating around the music world for over eight years now, and it’s pretty clear that they’ve already built their alcove in terms of style. Their latest album, Sound Of Sinning, backs up the claim admirably, and if you’ve never come across their work, all you need to know is that they’ve taken up the chore of turning back the clock and exposing their listeners to a dormant but amazing style of vocal-injected vintage soul.

Wes Montgomery – So Much Guitar [Reissue/1961] LP (Fantasy)
Wes Montgomery appeared as leader or co-leader on a dozen Riverside albums, in a wide variety of formats ranging from organ trios to one with full string orchestra. Some of the most rewarding simply placed him in a studio with a superior rhythm section and let him deal with a mixture of ballads, blues, and swingers. This album, his fourth for the label, is a notable example of this straightforward approach. It features the flawless support of Ron Carter and Hank Jones.

Mugstar –US Tour 7” (Chunklet)
The incredibly prolific psych collective Mugstar (Liverpool, UK) are back at it with a single that was originally intended as a tour single for their first US tour this past month. This is a glimpse of what’s around the corner for their next full length.

Nekrofilth – Acid Brain LP (Metalhit.com)
Nekrofilth is a death metal band with punk influences from Cleveland, Ohio, formed in 2008.

N.W.A. – 100 Miles And Runnin’ [Reissue/1990] 12” (Priority)
Limited edition vinyl LP pressing with 3D lenticular cover. 100 Miles And Runnin’ is the platinum certified EP by N.W.A, originally released in 1990 on Ruthless Records. It is the first record the group released after Ice Cube began a solo career.

Riz Ortolani – La Vergine Di Norimberga [OST/1963] LP (Contempo)La Vergine Di Norimberga is a great horror movie directed by Antonio Margheriti (aka Anthony Dawson) in 1963, starring Rossana Podestà and Georges Riviere. The great soundtrack, composed orchestrated and directed by the late Maestro Riz Ortolani, will give you the intense pathos of the movie through a series of songs that could be only described as “orchestral horror music.”

Beth Orton – Comfort Of Strangers [Reissue/2006] LP (Rhino/Parlophone)Comfort Of Strangers is English singer/songwriter Beth Orton’s fourth studio album, the follow-up to 2002’s Daybreaker. The album was recorded in just two weeks at New York’s Sear Sound studio in the spring of 2005, with the much-acclaimed musician and composer Jim O’Rourke as producer. It features Beth on guitar, piano and harmonica with O’Rourke on bass, piano and marimba and percussionist Tim Barnes on drums. HQ-180gm. (Daybreaker reissue due August 14.)

Arvo Pärt – Passio 2xLP (Ajna Offensive)
Comprised mostly of Arvo Pärt’s signature hypnotic tintinnabuli, performed by Anthony Pitt and Tonus Peregrinus, “Passio Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Secundum Joannem” is a slow-moving liturgical piece that offers a vastness, solemnity and intimacy which allows for contemplation of the mysteries and suffering of the canonical text taken from the Gospel of John, chapters 18 and 19. Winner of the Cannes Classical Award.

Chuck & Mary Perrin – The Chuck & Mary Perrin Album: Brother And Sister [Reissue/1968] LP (Mapache)
Recorded in 1968, this gem is one of the biggest secrets of American folk. Full of amazing melodies and beautiful songs, this is a rare album for lovers of folk, psych and singer/songwriter styles.

Piero Piccioni – Minnesota Clay [OST/1964] LP (Contempo)
This stunning soundtrack composed and directed by Piero Piccioni for the 1964 Spaghetti Western movie Minnesota Clay, directed by Sergio Corbucci and starring Cameron Mitchell, Georges Riviere, Ethel Rojo and Diana Martin, is the “holy grail” of Italian soundtracks. The music has the classic Spaghetti Western mood, and the main theme is a milestone of the genre.

Predatory Light/Vorde – Vorde/Predatory Light LP (Psychic Violence)
A triumph of dark and protean North American black metal, Predatory Light and Vorde (both featuring members of Ash Borer and Fell Voices) join forces for a 38-minute excursion into the abyss that solidifies both acts’ ascendancy of contemporary black metal.

Public Access T.V. – Public Access 12” (Terrible)
NYC band and UK press darlings Public Access T.V. have singed with Terrible Records, the label co-run by Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear. “When the Nashville-based punk band Be Your Own Pet broke up in 2008, John Eatherly moved to New York City and began to play music with various established artists before he decided to start a new band. Public Access T.V. emerged last year, and though they’ve done a good job honing an antique aesthetic, the band’s affinity for ‘70s pop rock doesn’t sound derivative; it’s more like a pointed nod.” – Stereolab

Reanimator – Damaged Bads LP (Community Library)
The polyrhythmic, alien, and basscentric sound of Damaged Bads retains the pummeling drum interplay that won fans to Reanimator’s 2006 album Special Powers. But while their earlier work relies heavily on blown-out distortion, Reanimator introduce gestures that are cleaner, edgier, and more ornate—though still high-impact. Beneath the music’s technological expression, less obvious influences sneak in: the polyrhythmic time signatures of Balkan folk music, the skittering curiosity of free improv, and the irreverence of punk. The results are joyous, confrontational, physical, and cerebral.

Rush – Moving Pictures [Reissue/1981] LP (Mercury)
Remastered on HQ-200gm, heavyweight vinyl at legendary Abbey Road Studios using the Direct to Metal Mastering (DMM) audiophile copper plating process, all from original analogue masters. Moving Pictures was also the band’s biggest-selling album in the US, rising to #3 on the Billboard charts (and #1 in Canada) and one of the first discs to receive the RIAA’s first-ever multi-platinum designation, scoring 4 million sales to date in the U.S. on the strength of classics like “Limelight,” “Tom Sawyer” and “Vital Signs.”

Henrik Rylander – Object Subject To Change LP (Ideal)
The fourth album for Ideal by the former Union Carbide Productions drummer, current Skull Defekt, and highly regarded king of hypnotic, focused feedback drone with razor-sharp noise and monotonous pulse feels as comfortable in academic worlds as in filthy basements.

Sh!tf**ker/Bonehunter – The Devil Must Be Driven Out With G.I.S.M. 12” (Metalhit.com)
Detroit metal punks join forces with Finnish devil punks. Includes a G.I.S.M. cover and an original song from both bands.

Sisters Of Mercy – First And Last And Always [Reissue/1985] 4xLP (Elektra)
Four-LP boxed set combines the industrial rock band’s 1985 debut First And Last And Always with three EPs from that era. All pressed on 180-gram vinyl, with faithfully reproduced artwork, housed in an attractive card slipcase.

Mavis Staples– Only For The Lonely [Reissue/1970] LP (Fantasy)
Mavis Staples has worn many hats over the years – that of an uplifting gospel singer, a civil rights activist, soulful frontwoman for the Staple Singers, a solo artist, and, most recently, the subject of new documentary Mavis!. Released 45 years ago, 1970’s Only For The Lonely marked the R&B star’s second solo effort. AllMusic.com proclaims the album to be “one of the best LPs Mavis Staples ever recorded…[Staples’] energy, delivery, timing, and technique were consistently awesome.”

Allen Stone – Radius LP (Capitol)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. On his third full-length album, singer/songwriter Allen Stone proves himself deeply devoted to making uncompromisingly soulful music that transcends all pop convention. Radius was created in collaboration with Swedish soul singer/songwriter/phenom Magnus Tingsek and blends everything from edgy soul-pop and earthy folk-rock to throwback R&B and Parliament-inspired funk.

Thing – Untitled LP (Solid Sex Lovie Doll)
Existing for the blink of an eye in Chicago 2013, only a small group of lucky losers got to witness the birth of Thing. After a year of gestation, Rich Crook (Lover!, Lost Sounds, Reatards) returned with a fully developed band and and album’s worth of punk n’ roll rippers, replete with power poop hooks, Ramones riffage and the wall of Kustom reverb that are their hallmark. Artwork by Haunt Love.

Thy Art Is Murder – Holy War LP (Nuclear Blast)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Third album from the Australian deathcore band.

Tujurikkuja – File: # 07 10” (Computer Tapes)
An improvised assemblage of tape hiss, sine-waves, reverb and an unnecessarily oppressive amount of compression, wires cross to create tracks with no real beginning or end. Something akin to randomly turning the dial on an old transistor radio while sneaking around an old, abandoned power-plant.

Vanilla Fudge – Spirit Of ’67 LP (Cleopatra)
Released earlier this year on CD – now available on vinyl. A collection of covers including The Box Tops “The Letter,” Procol Harum’s “Whiter Shade Of Pale,” The Who’s “I Can See For Miles,” Spencer Davis Group’s “Gimme Some Lovin’” and more.

The Waterboys – Fisherman’s Blues [Reissue/1988] LP (Rhino/Parlophone)
HQ-180gm vinyl LP pressing of this best-selling 1988 album from Mike Scott and the ‘boys. Fisherman’s Blues marked a change in the sound of The Waterboys’, abandoning their earlier grandiose rock sound for a mixture of traditional Irish music, traditional Scottish music, country music and rock and roll. The album divided critics and fans at first but has gone on to become The Waterboys’ best-selling album.

Wilson Mckinley – Spirit Of Elijah [Reissue/1971] LP (Lion Productions)Wilson Mckinley – Heaven’s Gonna Be A Blast! [Reissue/1972] LP (Lion Productions)
With beginnings firmly in the secular realm and a strong following in the Northwest, Wilson McKinley signed to Alshire Records (home of 101 Strings) and recorded one album under the label’s ‘acid-rock’ moniker, The California Poppy Pickers. With the proceeds from those sessions, they self-released a 7″ EP in 1970. But then they met street minister Carl Parks, gave up the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle and effectively ended the first incarnation of the group. Parks encouraged the remaining band members to pick up their instruments again to create music for a street meeting, and thus this ‘Jesus rock’ group was born.

Denison Witmer – Are You A Dreamer? [2005] LP (New Granada)
First time on vinyl. While often compared to ‘70s classic songwriting relics like James Taylor and admitted influences Jackson Browne and Graham Nash, Witmer’s earnest, idiosyncratic style has matured and now is more akin to Damien Jurado, Pedro The Lion or even Elliott Smith at times. The album is loosely conceptual, themed around all the aspects of dreams and the sense of hope that can be derived from them. Contributors to Are You A Dreamer include Sufjan Stevens, The Innocence Mission’s Don and Karen Peris, Ester Drang’s James McAlister, and Shara Worden all filling out the sound of Witmer’s personal narrative tales.

Zedd – True Colors 2xLP (Interscope)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. True Colors is the second studio album by Russian-German Grammy-winning electronic dance musician. Features a guest appearance by Selena Gomez on “I Want To Know You.”

Cassettes:

Deathrite – Revelation Of Chaos (Prosthetic)
This German metal band hits the sweet spot where only the most severe elements of death metal, grindcore and punk converge.

Jessie Jones – Jessie Jones (Burger)
“Jessie Jones was once the frontwoman of the Burger Records-backed band Feeding People, who put out their debut on the So-Cal mainstay label in 2011 before signing to Innovative Leisure and releasing their final effort, Island Universe, in 2013. Jones has an intriguing, almost cinema-ready backstory: Supposedly raised a devout evangelical Christian, her love of music eventually superseded her relationship with religion. Or so the legend goes, according to a David Bevan-penned Spin review of Feeding People’s last album. Jones hasn’t been anywhere remotely near the spotlight since, but last year she began working on a new project and started singing in Death Valley Girls.” – Stereogum

Radioson – Radioson (Helen Scarsdale Agency)
Disruptive interference, numbers station mechanization, various Russian military transmissions, and electrically charged currents of caustic drone is constructed from a position of clinical detachment over the psychic and physical detritus that spills forth in his homeland. The occasionally kosmiche turns for electronic sequencing are a unique take on the Schnitzler / Schulze strategies from the ’70s, though mapped out on antiquated Russian synthesizers, tape machines, and of course radios.